Europe Wrap Up

Trip Start Apr 09, 2006

148

Trip End Jun 09, 2007

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Flag of Austria Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Thursday, August 17, 2006

I've spent the last few days seeing a bit of Vienna and getting sorted for my move to Asia. Vienna is a lovely city, but as I've already alluded I'm ready for a change. It's also quite expensive here - Austria is unquestionably the most expensive place I've visited on my journey thus far. Accommodation is higher and often excludes breakfast. Transport is also high. For example, I paid approximately $30USD for my overnight, 11-hour train from Budapest to Krakow (crossing two borders in the process). My ticket for the 3.5-hour train ride from Salzburg to Vienna (all in the same country) was nearly $60USD. I don't get it.

And don't get me going about drinking on the Euro. Whew!

Central and Eastern Europe - Highlights
*The Greek Isles are all that they're cracked up to be and more. Anyone can find something to like or enjoy there - relaxed beaches, 7AM parties, shopping, water sports...you can't go wrong.

*The Carpathian Mountains are simply stunning and were a great change of scenery from my previous destinations. Skip the capitols of Bulgaria and Romania and focus your time in the mountainous regions near Veliko Tarnovo and Brasov.

*Of the 'larger' cities in the region Krakow and Budapest offered all the fame and fanfare with much fewer tourists or distractions.

*The immense history of Central and Eastern Europe provided endless hours of entertainment. I very much enjoyed the bike tours I took in a few of the cities - peddling around while learning the ins and outs of how each city came to be.

Central and Eastern Europe - Lowlights
*To beat the dead horse, many of the cities in the region can be jam-packed-to-the-gills with freakin' package tourists. Yes, I knew before coming in July and August that the crowds would be an issue, and yes, I caused my own frustration. But seriously, people of the world: take five minutes to look away from your guide's umbrella or your camcorder screen and ACTUALLY EXPERIENCE a different place. Enough said.

*The food in the region is, on average, very, very good. I know that should be a highlight but I'll be carrying a few extra el-bees with me to the beaches of Thailand! Prepare yourself for some ugly pictures!!

Slideshow